Things That Go Bump In The Night
by oh-you-pretty-things
Summary: Sarah Williams knew all about things that went bump in the night. She knew they were real, she knew they could get you if you weren’t careful, and she knew to be careful what you wish for. JS. ONESHOT.


DISCLAIMER: I don't own Labyrinth or any of the characters associated with the film. They are the property of the Jim Henson Company.

_AN: Hmm. Would I call this fluff? Nah, not really. I am going to dedicate this story to SP777, though. You got me thinking about how people write Jareth and Sarah. Here she is: your cautious, yet suspiciously childish Sarah...with an explanation. Also, enter the mysterious and unreadable Jareth, as he was always intended to be. Enjoy!! ;( (That's just my new face, pay it no mind...I just like it more than a smiley...hahaha!) _

Sarah Williams knew all about things that went bump in the night. She knew they were real, she knew they could get you if you weren't careful, and she knew to be careful what you wish for. When she was a child, her mother had always soothed her by telling her that nothing was there and that the boogeyman didn't exist. Sarah had almost believed her. In fact, she had been well on her way to a complete fearlessness at the age of fifteen. Although she had practiced the lines of 'The Labyrinth' as often as she could, they were starting to become just that – lines. Make believe. Only she didn't quite _believe _as she once had. Then she'd done it. She'd said the words, not thinking that they would work and yet secretly wishing that the forbidden Goblin King _did_ exist somewhere, and that _she _was in fact the girl that he was in love with. Well, that's just when she learned that the things that go bump in the night were very real.

She'd never seen them, so to speak, but if the Goblin King was real then she didn't quite see how it was possible for them not to exist. It would be easy to take her mother's words to heart, easy to make herself believe that they didn't exist. But, to do that would be to deny the existence of the best friends she'd ever had. She would rather spend a lifetime of squeezing her eyes shut with her covers pulled over her head than pretend that her friends didn't exist. And, that is exactly what she did. At twenty-two, one would think that an independent, strong-willed woman like Sarah would be fully capable of living on her own in perfect confidence. This was not, however, the case. Upon hearing the slightest noise once she was in bed, she would squeeze her eyes shut and pull her covers over her head. It was a bit ridiculous really, but she always reminded herself that things were not always as they seemed and who was to say that her covers didn't protect her somehow? It was a universally accepted protection method of children across the world. Instinct. And, really, who could deny instinct?

One night, when she heard a strange sort of knocking sound just as she was dozing off, she pulled her covers over her head and silently wished that she could forget it all. There would be other benefits to forgetting her experience, for one she wouldn't think about _him _anymore. Disbelief of the Underground would certainly eliminate that irritating question that always caught up with her at some point each and every day. What if? What if she'd forgotten the line? Would he have turned Toby into a goblin, or let him go? Would he have turned her into a goblin? Would he have made her a queen? What if he really was in love with her? Was he angry with her now? Would he still love her? What if she had never foolishly said the words to begin with? What if she never believed to begin with? What if? Sarah was quick to brush these questions off. If she hadn't gone there, she would have grown up way too fast in the company of shallow acquaintances instead of living childhood to the fullest with sincere friends, whom she knew would follow her to the ends of the world.

Still, she could live without the things that went bump in the night. There were plenty of times when she would have liked to call the Goblin King to her mirror for a friendly late night chat, but she never did. She didn't trust herself. What if she said a certain phrase that set him off? Oh, there was that pesky question again. Besides, as much as she wanted to know, she really _didn't_ want to know. If she asked about the things that went bump in the night, she might then have confirmation of their existence and then she would never be safe. If she had confirmation of any of her other questions she wouldn't be sure of what to do. So, Sarah ran from the question as much as she could.

The real problem existed with the fact that she couldn't lie in bed without pulling the covers over her head. She had avoided intimacy with all her boyfriends purely based upon this fact. Sure, she could hide behind the fallacy of supposedly wanting to keep her virginity until marriage, but eventually even that would go too far. It wasn't really true either, but the fear of the _known_ held her back from life. She realized that her fear was holding her back from growing up, really. The things that went bump in the night had her trapped in a constant state of juvenile trepidation. As a result, she tended to never keep boyfriends for more than a few months, just until things got a little serious. Her last boyfriend, a rather lively chap, had lasted longer than the others. He had this really easy smile that made Sarah uneasy. Actually, it was likely the sole reason that she kept him around; for that tiny hint of the unknown in her life.

Then he'd made a fatal error. Of course, neither of them had known it at the time. This fine fellow had so kindly brought Sarah to see The Phantom of the Opera, and that spellbinding night had been the beginning of the end for him. As Sarah watched the musical drama unfold, she began to see similarities between herself and Christine Daaé. Had she not been manipulated by an older man that few believed existed? Had he not been sinister, possessive and beautiful in his own way? As a direct result of knowing the man, Christine had lived in constant fear. Did Sarah not live in constant fear? Ah, now herein lay the crux! Christine had the sense, or rather the practicality, to 'fall in love' with a nice, reliable, stable man. But, was she not truly in love with the tortured soul who did everything for her? Was it not her fear that kept her from him? In Sarah's eyes, Christine was settling for the safety net. The thought had shocked Sarah into a fever right there in the theatre. She had a choice to make. She waited a week out of common courtesy, and had then broken up with the boy.

Sarah didn't know if she was 'in love' with the Goblin King, but he was surely affecting her love life. It wasn't fair to the reliable boy with the easy smile, and Sarah refused to become another Christine Daaé. She had sat in front of her mirror one very late night, waiting for the things to start going bump and it had occurred to her that perhaps she had inadvertently forced herself into the life of Christine Daaé when she rejected the Goblin King seven years ago. Panic washed over her as she considered that she had just sent away her nice, reliable safety net. Sarah had to fight with her practical side not to call him. She stared at the mirror. This was just one area of her life that she couldn't ask her friends for advice about, especially considering how her _best_ friend felt about the Goblin King. She chewed on her lip nervously while twiddling a lipstick case in her hand absently. She still didn't trust the words that may come out of her mouth.

Rule with your mind, not your heart, Sarah! Then again, she didn't even know her heart so, what help was that self-advice? What if she just curled up in bed right now and forgot the whole thing? Oh! That question _again_! But, finally Sarah knew that she couldn't do that. Not if she wanted to move on with her life. Her mouth had opened, ready to say…well, what? She was not about to say "Goblin King, I need you", was she? No, of course not. He had no power over her, or so the book had said, and she wasn't going to risk giving him any now. She opened and closed her mouth several times before slumping in her chair and calling Hoggle. Sarah decided that it would be best to just to blurt it out. So, she did. Hoggle had turned an absurd shade of red in anger before crossing his arms and refusing to give her an answer.

"You don't want t' talk t' him," he spat, arms crossed and eyes shut, refusing to look her in the eye.

"Why not?"

"'Cause ya don't!"

"I assure you, Hoggle, I do."

At his lack of answer and continued avoidance of her eyes, Sarah decided to pry further.

"Hoggle, is there a reason I don't want to?"

Hoggle looked back at her worriedly. He was flustered, and when he was flustered Sarah knew he was hiding something. Hoggle knew that she knew, and was forced to concede as he had so many times before.

"He's bad news," he said softly.

"Well, of course. Why else would I want to talk to him?"

"What?!" Hoggle was incensed.

"I can't sleep at night," Sarah said, glancing about her person nervously. "There are _things_ here."

"No there ain't!"

Sarah stared at Hoggle. Why hadn't she just asked him sooner? Why hadn't she thought of it?

"But, I hear things!"

"Probably goblins."

"What?"

"Goblins."

"In my apartment?"

"'Course."

Sarah frowned deeply. She hadn't been able to move any of her relationships into intimacy because there were _goblins_ keeping her in constant fear?

"Why are there goblins in my apartment, Hoggle?" Her tone was not light; in fact Hoggle could hear the dark fury starting to rise within his gentle Sarah. Hoggle gulped and looked left and right nervously.

"Hoggle?" Sarah prodded expectantly.

"'Cause Jareth sent them," he replied in a whisper. Sarah said nothing, although her mouth fell open and closed in indignation a few times.

"Tell me what I have to say, Hoggle," she said slowly, after much deliberation.

"You just hafta call his name," Hoggle answered quickly. He was almost as afraid of an angry Sarah as much as he was of Jareth. Sarah breathed in deeply, closing her eyes and forcing her anger down. It would do no one any good if she flew off the handle now. She opened her eyes and smiled tiredly at Hoggle.

"Thank you, Hoggle. Wish me luck!"

"You'd think you'd learned your lesson with wishes by now," he muttered before fading out of view. Sarah peered at her reflection for a moment before saying his name.

"Jareth."

Within seconds, the Goblin King was across from her in all his splendour. He pulled at the lapels of his waist coat, looking down at himself before even noticing that Sarah was watching. If he was startled, he gave no sign of it besides the almost imperceptible widening of his eyes.

"Sarah," he said, his voice as rich as honey fresh from the hive. It was too bad that in order to get the honey, she must first face the wrath of the bees.

"Goblin King," she replied curtly. "I hear you have been keeping goblins in my apartment."

"Me? Never," his voice was drenched in sarcasm. "In fact, I tend to have little to do with goblins if I can help it."

A smile spread across his face, which Sarah would have found incredibly appealing if it weren't for the predatory glint of his sharp teeth. He was waiting for her mistake, and she would certainly make him wait for as long as she could hold out. Sarah felt that there was little chance of her coming through this unscathed.

"Which you can't," she replied. "Why?"

"Why can't I? I think that's fairly obvious." His smile widened and Sarah's pulse quickened. He was the lion and she was the gazelle. Run fast, little gazelle.

"Why are they in my apartment? They frighten me, you know."

"I believe that this very conversation should answer your question," Jareth smirked as a tiny blush spread across Sarah's cheeks. "Oh, and I do know."

Sarah frowned. "You want to frighten me?"

"Not _you_. No, no. But, a dose of fear is healthy in every relationship, wouldn't you agree?"

Sarah's little frown deepened. "No, I wouldn't," she replied dryly. "So, you were keeping me chaste, were you? Did you ever consider that I didn't want to be?"

"Oh, yes, I have. That is precisely why the goblins are there."

Oh, if looks could kill, the Goblin King would be deader than dead. Jareth smiled easily and it made Sarah uneasy. Maybe that's why she'd liked Old Reliable to begin with.

"And what if I _still_ didn't want you?"

"I think we both know that's not the case."

"Oh, how's that?"

Jareth looked around and then back at her, shrugging as though her calling him answered it all.

"You gave me no choice!"

"Tut tut, Sarah. You _force_ me to give you choices. _I_ didn't cause you to end your relationships, _you _did that all by yourself," Jareth paused, raising his eyebrows in thought. "I actually was beginning to fear that this last rather _reliable_," he said the word with great distaste, "boy was going to be around for considerably longer."

Jareth peered at Sarah through the mirror, as though waiting to extract something from her expression. Sarah refused to make eye contact with him and even considered turning her back on him and going to bed. It was rather childish, but then again he'd kept her that way.

"Why is it that he didn't last, Sarah?" Jareth asked with pointed interest.

Sarah still wouldn't look at him, deciding that it was easier to mutter into her chest than face him. She couldn't be brave all the time. "I didn't want to be Christine Daaé."

Jareth was silent, and this forced Sarah to look up at him. He was regarding her with the most peculiar expression, and he was irrevocably confused.

"Oh never mind," she mumbled.

Jareth shrugged. "It worked in my favour, regardless."

Sarah frowned again. "I'm not sure."

"How can you not be sure? You called me," Jareth said calmly, although there was an icy fire burning in the depths of his irises.

"To find out about the _things_, but now that I know that they're just goblins," her voice trailed off as she watched him stiffen within the mirror.

"Of course," he said crisply, all the rich honey gone from his voice. "Go on living your life just as hedonistically as you please."

_That _was the moment, the real moment. A tiny smile itched at the corners of her mouth as she watched him. It looked as though he was ready to turn from her and cross his arms. They were both petulant children and that was precisely why they were meant to be. Sarah sat in silence for a moment, remembering The Phantom of the Opera. What if she sent him away now? Would he hate her? Would he wallow in misery? Would she return to her reliable boy? No. _That _was the answer to all of her questions.

Sarah Williams was not Christine Daaé, and Jareth, King of the Goblins was not Erik, Phantom of the Opera. If she sent him away, he would not hate her nor would he wallow in misery. And, Sarah certainly wouldn't return to her nice, reliable safety net of a boy. No, she would _not _send him away; not now, not ever. Sarah Williams _knew _what went bump in the night and, more importantly, she _knew_ that she wanted to join them.

"Jareth," she said clearly, feeling the heavy weight of fear lift from her for the first time in almost seven years. The Goblin King's eyes snapped up to meet hers suspiciously.

"Take me home."

The words took a moment to register, but Sarah knew the moment that they did for a rather easy smile spread across Jareth's features. Sarah bit her lip; his easy smile had always made her uneasy but, that's what she liked about him.

No. That's what she _loved _about him.


End file.
